PPRC Friday Rally to Join Iraq Affinity Group Protest

author: Will

The PPRC's weekly rally at Pioneer Courthouse Square on Friday, August 30th, at 5:00 p.m., will join with the Iraq Affinity Group to protest the Bush administration's plans to invade Iraq. The Iraq Affinity Group's gathering starts at 4:00 p.m. and will be held at S.W. 3rd & Madison (in front of the Federal Building). Folks who can make the earlier time should go directly to the IAG action at the Federal Building at 4:00 p.m..

PPRC Joins Iraq Affinity Group to Protest Bush's War Plans

The PPRC's weekly rally at Pioneer Courthouse Square on Friday, August 30th, at 5:00 p.m., will join with the Iraq Affinity Group to protest the Bush administration's plans to invade Iraq. "From reactionary theocratic dictatorships like Saudi Arabia to the liberal democracies of Western Europe, the entire world is opposed to the Bush administration's criminal plans for war on Iraq," said Chris Roehm of the PPRC. "Last week's protests during Bush's visit to Portland demonstrated that there is also growing opposition to the war here in the United States." The Iraq Affinity Group, a local organization that has actively opposed the US economic blockade on Iraq since the early-90s, will begin the demonstration against the war at 4:00 p.m. at the Federal Building in downtown Portland. The PPRC Friday rally will march to the Federal building to join the anti-war protest at 5:15 p.m..

"We're encouraged by the few voices of dissent that we've been hearing out of Washington, D.C., over the last two weeks," said Roehm. "But unless there is visible opposition to the war here in the United States, there can be little doubt that Bush will go forward with his plans for a criminal and bloody war. According to the Guardian of London, Bush is confronting "overwhelming pressure from across the world ... to step back from the brink of military action to oust Saddam Hussein."1 Even Bush's relationship with the Prime Minister of Britain, a staunch ally of Bush's war in Afghanistan, has been strained by the disagreement over the rush to war. Many key countries have "warned of the devastating consequences of a US-led assault against Iraq." And the secretary general of the UN, Kofi Annan, has called for the return of weapons inspectors to Iraq, adding that "The UN is not agitating for military action." The Guardian notes, however, that "[s]uch warnings may fall on deaf ears in Washington after Mr Rumsfeld said that Mr Bush was prepared to take unilateral action against Iraq."

In addition to today's demonstration, the PPRC and the Iraq Affinity Group are asking all Oregonians to call the White House to protest the plans for war.

Countries are artificial creations. I am an ethical human being first and foremost. You on the otherhand are a mindless and unprincipled drone, who seems to be incapable of intelligent reasoned decisions and actions.

The Bush regime is composed largely of warmongering sociopathic murderers. What they propose for Iraq is against every moral principle that I hold. It is my duty to resist them and those who support them with, every fiber of my body. If that means shooting you dead, so be it.
You have been warned.